Thursday, August 24, 2006

So, I've never considered myself the athletic-type. I've never been good at sports because I never particularly tried.

As it turns out, even when I try in derby, I'm not a very fast skater*. In fact, it could be said that I'm one of the slowest skaters in the league - which, honestly, doesn't vex me terribly, someone's got to help keep the grade curve realistic, right?

There are benefits to not being the Mary Lou Retton of roller derby - There are skaters on our league who are consistently fast and amazing and athletic, skaters who seem like they were born with quads on their feet - after a while, it seems, the perfection becomes invisible. These skaters could circle the rink, backwards, doing cartwheels through flaming hoops while making omelettes for everyone in attendance and most people in the room would barely bat an eyelash. I manage to get all my protective gear on correctly and make one lap around the place without giving myself a concussion with my own skate and they throw me a ticker tape parade.

Sure, it's the same praise that kids on the short bus get for not eating paste and jelly sandwiches, but whatever, I'll take what I can get.


But see, this totally disproves that urban legend about all women being catty.



* In roller derby, this isn't the end of the world, as a team only needs a handful of really fast skaters and we've got plenty - the rest of the skaters just need to be in the way - a position at which, I happen to excel.